HOW I SEE IT

By Bob Lloyd

I was asked by the Washington State Democratic Party to participate in a 30 second spot announcement. Being a visual artist I worry about the production process. When your ideas get turned into sound bites you never know what you are going to look or sound like. So here is the original full text of my testimonial about why I vote Democratic.

My Name is Bob Lloyd. I Am A Democrat.

I vote Democratic because I fought for self determination. I fought for desegregation of schools. I fought for public accommodations. I fought for the right to vote. I fought for open housing. I fought for economic development. I fought for affirmative action. I fought for equal and fair employment. I fought against the War in Vietnam.

All my life I have been fighting for the elimination of exclusion. The only place short of civil war is the democratic process. In all of my struggles for civil rights and social justice the Republican Party has been absent on all of the things that I hold dear. So I choose to vote Democratic and struggle within the party for inclusion, civil rights and social justice.

In This exhibit was first seen at the Spokane downtown library from January through March. Now we will be moving two E. Central Community Center we were able find it’s permanent home. But it will be made available to other institutions and galleries if you’re interested contact Robert Lloyd at rdlloyd@comcast.net.

Coming soon to East Central Community Ctr. 500 S. Stone.

If You Really Knew Me you’d know that I’m the Black guy photographing your events and meetings. If You Really Knew Me you’d know I am a supporter of community building (4comculture.com). If You Really Knew Me you’d know I taught my photography students that good photographs have four components.

If you would like to take part and meet new friends, you’ll visit East Central Community Ctr. 500 S. Stone Spokane WA for First Thur each month at10 AM coffee discussion.

IF YOU REALLY KNEW ME Stories of Survivors and Warriors.

EXHIBITION

This exhibit we’ll be House & display at the E. Central Community Ctr. May.

This will be a traveling exhibit and can be made available for exhibitions at your gallery or institution. contact Robert Lloyd at rdlloyd@comcast.net

Photographs by Robert Lloyd

Video by Doug Dalton and DaShawn Bedford

Wendy Levy for The Alliance for Media Arts + Culture

A collaborative, interactive photography exhibition in honor of Human Trafficking Awareness month in Spokane, these photographs were created with local women survivors and warriors. We hope these images and stories raise awareness, engagement and political will, so all those still in risk may find safety and freedom.

Who Does Safety Pin Box Support?

Safety Pin Box benefits all people involved, but is specifically geared at supporting Black women & femmes who are contributing to the movement for Black lives.

Every month, Safety Pin Box will give one-time financial gifts to individual Black women who have demonstrated a commitment to serving Black people. Financial gift recipients will be featured in that month’s box at their discretion, and will be invited to contribute to that month’s task writing. Any and all Black women contributing to Black liberation in any way are encouraged to apply and recipients will be chosen at random each month from Black women applicants in our pool. The more subscribers we have, the more Black women we can support. Subscription fees, as a form of reparations, go directly to supporting Black women freedom fighters every month.

“We felt ‘called’ to save the world from racism, poverty, and war. We willingly risked our lives. But too seldom did we stop to recognize the burden we placed on our children.” Andrew Young

In the book CHILDREN OF THE MOVEMENT by John Blake the sons and daughters of MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., MALCOLM X, ELIJAH MUHAMMAD, GEORGE WALLACE, ANDREW YOUNG, JULIAN BOND, STOKELY CARMICHAEL, BOB MOSES, JAMES CHANEY, ELAINE BROWN, and others reveal how the civil rights movement tested and transformed their families.

This is also true for the families of today’s activists.Even those with the same goals don’t agree on the same tactics.

“Life is chaos. Be kind.” Devon Waine Tyler

“Let’s be kind. You never know what someone Is going through.” Phillip Tyler

Steve joined us for Thursday’s Coffee discussion. This week we discussed developing grassroots community building on the precinct level. He said we may want to put in a proposal at Spokane’s KYRS radio for airtime. He left us a copy of the June schedule so that we might see the programs the station is presently airing.

We are looking it over for future programing.

We could discuss the need for GRASSROOTS community organizers INSIDE OR OUTSIDE of the two party system. We at the first Thursday coffee discussion group have discussed how to build the community we would like to live in and now it’s time to take the next step.

I’d suggest:

Have a house party meeting. Open your house. Invite your neighbors to have a discussion about participating in a democratic process built from the grassroots of your community.

Meet regularly and report back to a First Thursday coffee discussion group. If you are not currently participating in a First Thursday group, form one with other citizen activists with whom you would like to meet and discuss political, social justice and cultural concerns.

Define a job description for what a community organizer might do.

If you’ve been marching, protesting, rallying and complaining about your government you need to go to My Vote. After logging in with your name and birth date, click on Voter Registration Details to find your precinct number.

When was the last time you heard from your Precinct Committee Officer?

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: STeve is looking for VISUAL, PERFORMING AND LITERARY artists to interview on his program “Spokane Open Poetry”. He DOesn’t JUDGE, JUST allows you TO SHARE WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT!

The Spokane Open Poetry Program is for of all ages. He is waiting to hear from you. Spokaneopenpoetry@kyrs.org

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